


The Witch's Doll

by DeadlyInRed



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Dont expect regular updates, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), HEX - Freeform, Hurt Shiro (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Angst, M/M, Magic, Multi, SHEITH - Freeform, Werewolf, Witch - Freeform, Witch AU, Witch Keith (Voltron), Witch Shiro (Voltron), Witchcraft, Witches, but we will, curse, ill try my best, im sorry if i never touch this again, klance, shklance - Freeform, this might be v sad, we dont know yet, yikes im so sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-08-23 22:34:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16627697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadlyInRed/pseuds/DeadlyInRed
Summary: Shiro is a very skilled witch who is Keith's mentor. They live in a small cottage in the woods on the outskirts of town. Keith is too hotheaded to be all that great at magic until he calms himself down enough to focus. Shiro has been cursed by a very powerful witch and is trying to learn ways to reverse it.Nonsense happens too I guess.





	1. Fresh Air and a Cup of Tea

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I hope you enjoy this! Leave a comment to motivate me to write more! Thanks <3 I'm in college right now so don't expect regular updates but I will do my best.

  


“Come on let’s try again. You’ll get it right eventually.” 

A gentle voice was more than a bit refreshing but the energy that had been spent on repeated failed attempts was beginning to take a toll on the apprentice. 

  


“Can we take a break first? Maybe some tea and meditation will help me focus.” The apprentice shifted how he was seated and leaned back on his hands. “Besides, you make tea better than I do.”    
  


The witch laughed, ‘better tea’. “Your tea wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t let it steep for too long.” Nonetheless the man stood up and made his way into the kitchen around the corner to begin boiling the water.   
  


The two lived in a small cottage in the middle of the forest located on the outskirts of town. Although they do stop into town for the market from time to time neither of them have ever felt at home there. They were odd sure but that wasn't to say they didn't have any friends. In an alleyway just off to the side of the market is a door, and behind that door is two small shops. The keepers of those shops just so happened to be friends of the witch and his apprentice. Pidge, small but smart, runs a herb shop along with their close friend and partner Hunk. The other shop is a crystal shop run by an odd girl who seems “not from around here” and goes by the name Allura. 

  


A few minutes later the witch returned with two cups of some sort of herbal tea inside. 

“We are almost out of herbs so we should make note to stop by the market and buy some for next time.” 

The boy nodded and grabbed his cup, glancing into it briefly. 

  


“Do you ever think I'll become as great a witch as you Shiro?” The apprentice asked, hoping for an honest answer. 

  


“Well Keith you might not be there yet, and I know you don't see it, but you have a lot of potential. I know you'll get there soon. “ He gave a gentle smile and the boy by the name Keith rolled his eyes trying to hide his smile as well. “Now drink your tea while it's still hot.” 

  


The witch Shiro didn't sit down with the apprentice, instead he walked towards the front door. “Would you like to sit on the porch with me?” Keith nodded quickly and got up, following close behind. Shiro opened the door for the two of them and cleared the leaves off the ground before sitting down, Keith sitting close beside him. 

  


In an attempt to ground himself Keith took a deep breath of the crisp early afternoon  autumn air, glancing around and making note of all the familiar things surrounding him. His eyes passed over the porch, Shiro, the leaves scattered on the porch steps, his eyes passed along the path leading from their cottage into the woods. He even made note of the leaves changing colour on some of the trees whereas others not so much. Bringing his attention back to his tea he took another sip and let out a sigh. 

  


“Feeling a little better with the fresh air and some tea?” Shiro asked. Keith didn't even notice Shiro was watching him the whole time. “It always helps me with whatever I'm thinking about. “

  


Keith looked up quickly and locked eyes with the witch. “Uh, yeah I think it did help… thanks.” He gave a shy smile and took another sip of his tea. 

  


They sat in comfortable familiar silence as they both took in the fresh air and drank their tea. Soon enough they finished their drinks and Shiro offered to take their cups into the kitchen while Keith sat back where he was previously. 

  


“Ready to try some spells again?”

  


“Yeah, I think so.” 

  


“Alright, I'll show you first again then you can try. We will try something smaller and more simple okay?” Shiro walked over to his bookshelf and grabbed a small candle. 

“This should do.” Quietly, the witch moved over to where his apprentice was seated and joined him on the floor. He placed the candle on the floor between them and smiled up at Keith. 

  


“We are going to light this without using a match or a lighter. Watch carefully. “ Shiro gained a relaxed yet focused look in his eyes and upon listening carefully you could just barely hear him whispering words under his breath. Shiro always stressed how much it wasn’t so much about the words themselves but the focus and the tone in which they’re spoken. At the end of his phrase he blew a deep breath onto the candle and a small fire appeared on the wick. 

  


Keith’s eyes lit up with amazement and a smile spread across his lips, he was utterly amazed and would never stop to be amazed by his mentor. “....woah….” he muttered under his breath.   
  
Nearly as fast as it appeared the flame disappeared with a wave of Shiro’s hand.    
  
“Think you can do that?” 

  


Keith gave a quick nod and began to whisper under his breath, the words different from Shiro’s but gave the same effect. Finally once the spell came to an end and it was time for Keith to blow on the candle he shut his eyes tight and took a deep breath and blew on the wick. 

If it wasn’t for the impressed clapping from Shiro, Keith wouldn’t have even know he succeeded. 

“Look! You did it Keith! Great job! I’m proud of you!” He exclaimed.    
  
Keith gave a shy smile and chuckled joyously.    
“All thanks to my amazing teacher huh? You should really thank that guy.” He teased, causing Shiro to chuckle as well. 

  


Almost as if it were staged the candle went out and Shiro could feel a sharp pain shoot up his arm to his shoulder. Keith practically leaped from where he had been sitting but couldn’t bring himself to get too close.   
  
“Sh-Shiro what’s wrong!? What is it!?” He called out. Shiro only waved his other hand to keep the younger man back.    
  
“I’m fine!” Shiro said unconvincingly and looked down to his hands. There was black covering the tips of his fingers as if he had dipped them in ink, the colour however slowly faded up through the palm of his hand and ended at his wrist.    
  
“Shiro…? Is it the curse? Can I do anything to help?” Keith asked hesitantly. 

  


Shiro hissed in pain and choked out a few short words. “We don’t know enough.”    
  
Keith gave out a defeated sigh and clenched his hands to fists so tightly the nails on his fingers cut lightly into his hands.    
  
A few moments later Shiro let out a sigh of relief when the pain had finally stopped. He looked up from his hands to Keith still sitting across from him.    
  
“Don’t beat yourself up okay? It’s not your fault…”

  


“But it _i_ _s_  my fault! You know that as much as I do.” 

  


“Keith… I’d rather this be the punishment. We can learn and reverse this… I’m sure of it. There’s only one you though.” 

  
  
Keith let out an audible sigh and crossed his arms.  “I wish there was more that I could do…”  


	2. Out Too Late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day of gathering turned into a fight for survival. Keith shares a sweet moment with someone he hasn't seen for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay chapter 2. Sorry it's super emotional, have fun!

A soft chuckle emitted from one of the bedrooms of the cottage.   
  
“Keith, I mean it I’m fine now. It’s been hours since the pain hit me! You can leave me alone if you feel tired. I’m okay…”

 

“I'm okay… try and get some rest. I'll leave once I see you're asleep. Promise I won't push myself too hard… “

 

Shiro nodded in agreement. The younger man was stubborn but Shiro knew it was coming from a good place. He did however feel that the young witch was pushing himself too hard and not being as gentle with himself as he should be. Those were his final thoughts before drifting into a much needed slumber.

 

Upon waking up the first thing Shiro noticed was the sound of birds chirping in the trees surrounding the cottage. He rolled over and stretched before sitting up, that's when he noticed him. Keith was still sitting in that chair, arms folded across his chest and head hanging low. Shiro let out a sigh and put his hand gently on his apprentices shoulder, leaning down to look at his face.

 

“Hey Keith… wake up. Have you been here all night?”

 

A deep breath and a few tired blinks from the boy later and he was able to make eye contact with Shiro.

 

“Hm? Oh… guess I fell asleep here too… I'm okay though. What's the plan for today?”

 

“The plan is for us to go out into the woods and gather anything we can use. It's starting to get colder so we want to collect before plants die.” Shiro let out a deep sigh. “Are you going to be well rested enough to join me? You can stay here if you need to. “

 

Keith jumped from his seat so fast he nearly fell over.

 

“No no I'm fine I'll come! I need the fresh air anyways. Plus what if something happens to you? What if your arm acts up again?”

 

“Keith I promise I'm alright, but if you really want to come along then be my guest. I plan to go after breakfast while it's still early. We will hopefully be back by sunset. “

 

Breakfast was the same as usual. The two of them packed up what they would need and were on their way out. They followed the path into the woods and once they felt they were far enough the two ventured off it.

 

“So… Shiro, what are we collecting? Just anything?” Keith asked curiously.

 

“Yeah pretty much. Just grab anything you think we will need and we can always sort through them later. Stay close by though, I don't want you to get hurt again.”

 

Keith nodded, making note to stay close by and began gathering. He picked up all kinds of things such as flowers, herbs, leaves, and more. At first he would watch Shiro and what he would grab but eventually he just started picking things up.

 

Hours passed and the light shifted with sunset. The day wasn't over yet though.

 

“Keith we have a few more hours of sun left before we have to start heading home. Grab as much as you can.”

 

Keith agreed and went back to it. He was so focused on gathering enough stuff for Shiro and himself that he didn't notice that he had wandered far off into the woods. Things were going well until something strange caught Keith's attention. Out of the corner of his eye, it was a familiar sight.

 

Shiro let out a whistle and called out for Keith wondering where he had gotten to.

As soon as he heard it Keith ran back to Shiro as fast as he could making note of landmarks to find his way back.

 

“Shiro I-I think I saw another one! I think there's another one alive!”

 

“You mean another one like you? I thought they were all ki-”

 

That was when Keith cut him off.

“Shiro I know what I saw. I think there's another one and I have to go back to see… “

 

Shiro nodded and agreed to go back with Keith to see if he really did see one of his family. By the time they got back to where Keith had seen whatever it was it had started to get dark. Shiro was becoming very weary on staying longer than he needed to,  but Keith curious and excited, reassured him that everything would be okay.

 

“I promise it was around here somewher- there it is!!” Keith bolted in the direction if what he had seen.

 

Shiro couldn't deny it any longer that did look familiar. Keith cautiously rounded the corner only to see the one person he couldn’t stand to lose.

 

“M-mom?!” Keith jumped towards a woman laying propped against a tree sleeping.

 

The look in the woman's eyes shifted from afraid to disbelief.

 

“Keith?! I'm so glad you're alive!” She spoke as she pulled her son into her arms.

 

“I thought you died with the rest of our pack!?”

 

Keith shook his head and ginned.

“Nope! Shiro saved me! He tried to save the others too…. We thought everyone else was gone too.”

 

“I ran…. I felt so bad to leave you but I didn't think you made it so I ran.”

 

“Don't blame yourself… It's fine. I would have done the same. I'm okay. O-oh! This is Shiro!” Keith stood up and motioned towards the witch standing a few steps behind to not intrude on this sweet family moment.

 

Keith's mom stood up and walked towards the witch.

 

“Hello Shiro. My name is Krolia. I'm forever in your debt for saving my son.” She reached her hand out to shake his but noticed the black crawling up his arm.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah it's nothing… just a curse. That witch who was hunting your pack did it while I was trying to stop her. Don't worry about it too much.”

 

Krolia gave a concerned look but she trusted him.

 

The three were interrupted by the sound of a branch snapping as it broke. Both Keith and Krolia felt on edge and Shiro could do nothing but try and calm them down.

 

“I'm sure it's just a squirrel or a rabbit.” Shiro spat out awkwardly.

 

“No Shiro that sounded too heavy. It had to be something else…”

 

Keith could feel it starting. His vision became blurry before it shifted.

Shiro in another awkward attempt to calm the two spoke once again.

 

“Maybe a travelling pack?”

 

“Not likely.” Krolia said, coming off much harsher than intended.

 

Keith's hearing became sharper and he felt his hair grow. He was turning and before he knew it he was fully changed into his wolf form. He glances over towards Krolia and saw she was the same.

 

“Okay… just be careful. Don't hurt anything until they strike first…” Shiro said in nearly a whisper.

 

With that the three of them walked slowly and cautiously through the trees. At this time it was well into the night and Shiro had a harder time seeing than the two wolves leading the way.

 

Seemingly out of nowhere a wolf much larger than both Keith and Krolia leapt out aiming for Shiro. Keith jumped between the two catching the wolf and knocking him to the ground. The wolf however was much larger than Keith and much heavier, he had Keith pinned to the ground in seconds. Krolia jumped in knocking the wolf down once again but the wolf had a better idea. The larger wolf knocked Krolia away and took one of Keith's front legs into his mouth and bit down as hard as he could. Shiro quickly cast a spell and hit the wolf as it bit down causing both it and Keith to cry out in pain. Krolia tried her best to get the wolf off Keith and with Shiro’s help they managed to get him off. The wolf growled at Shiro and in defense he cast one final spell sending the large wolf running.

 

By the time Shiro caught his breath from that final spell he saw Keith laying back on the ground and Krolia hunched over him, both back to human appearances.

 

“Keith are you okay?!” Shiro dropped to the ground beside him.

 

A groan and whimper came from the younger man before looking up to Shiro.

 

“Ah.. N-never better… heh… “ Keith gave a strained and  awkward chuckle in attempts to cover up just how much pain he was in.

Shiro gave a sigh and offered a hand to help Keith up which he took gratefully.

 

“Come on Keith we should go back hom-” Shiro cut himself off with a glance to Krolia.

“Uh… should go back to my house. It's warm and enough stuff to tend to your wound. Krolia you're more than welcome to join too if you'd like. It's not big but there's space.”

 

Keith looked to his mother who only let out a quiet laugh.

 

“Go on Keith, you're old enough and you know where to find me. I'm going to head back home. So much change has happened in the past while so I don't think moving is what I need right now. Thank you for the offer Shiro, thank you for everything.”

 

Once they were back to the cottage Shiro went to the kitchen to lay out all of the things the two had gathered before the attack.

Keith on the other hand dropped onto the floor and tried to light the fireplace.

 

“Very brave what you did back there. You saved my life for sure. Don't overwork yourself I'll be right there to light the fire.”

 

“Well Shiro, guess we're even now. You saved me from that witch, I saved you from that wolf.” Keith curled his knees to his chest as Shiro walked over and with magic lit the fire like it was the easiest thing in the world.

 

Sitting down beside Keith, Shiro motioned his hand out.

 

“Let me see it.”

 

Caught off guard Keith gave him a look like that of a confused puppy.

 

“Your arm Keith. Don't think you're getting away from us cleaning and wrapping it up.”

 

Keith let out a sigh and held his arm out the best he could. “Guess he really did a number on my arm huh… “

 

“Yeah…he did. Tomorrow you're staying home okay? And tonight in your own bed. You'll need the rest. There you're all done. Go rest now. I'll change the bandages in the morning.”

Keith nodded and got up, walking quietly to his room, once he lay down he was quick to fall into a deep sleep.


End file.
